Having had 2 bad diving weekends I was looking forward to this trip. I had booked myself Dave and Louise onto the Grace 2 with Divers Down from Babbacombe. The dive was to be on the wreck of the Bretagne, which we had dived previously form Paignton.

Simon, the skipper, informed us that the shot was on the bows, or more to the point, “he thought it was”. I led the 3 of us down the shot line through the murk (the viz was approx 2 metres) and was expecting to see the wreck as we approached. I knew the deck was at about 22 metres, so when I got to about that depth and could not see it I was concerned. The 24 metres arrived, and my thought was that the shot had missed the wreck and that I would have to try and find it in the poor viz, no chance. I got to 26 metres and what did I find, yep the bottom, fortunately the shot line started to rise again and when I got to 22 metres there was the shot, on the bows as “promised” what a relief.

We went along the starboard side looking into the holds, but not entering. The main difference on this dive to the last time we dived it was that we had slack water this time giving a much more relaxing dive. As always on this wreck the fish life was amazing. We dropped over the side at the stern and went around the rudder and then came back to deck level. We went back towards the bows for a while then sent up the SMB. When we were all on board Simon had tea and coffee for all of us.

An excellent dive with a very good skipper who we plan to use again, if fact within a few days I had booked another dive with him.

In the afternoon Louise and did a shore dive to the right of Babbacombe Bay. Lots of kelp and not much depth due to the low tide. Saw lots of fish including, goldsinny, bib and wrasse. Managed to find a deeper area for the return leg which made it a little easier. We exited over the rocks which was perhaps not the best idea that I had on the day and should probably have got out the same way as we got in.

After having a pint in the local pub we set off home, dropping Louise in Bristol on the way. Lots of traffic on the road meant that we took three and a half hours to get home.